Monorail car



Aug. 30, 1932.

P. s. coMBs, JR 1,874,907

MONORAIL GAR Filed Deo. 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT R ATTORNEYS Aug- 30, 1932- P. s. CCJMBS, JR 1,874,907

MONORAIL CAR Filed Deo. l,v 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 30, 1932 PRESLEY-STUARTCOMBS, JR., oEfLos nl vrenLEs-Lcfknni'onivnejV` y.

MoNonArL clin Application med December 1, i936. serial` No.499,159.1

This invention relates Vto a monorail railsv way havinga suspended car and `pertains particularly to the truck and car or load carrierV mounted on the rail., Such suspended cars are commonly free to swing laterally, and, if swung far enough, are liable to derailment. This is especially true, when the car passes around a curve at a relatively high speed. The present invention appertains particularly to means to prevent such derailment.

The objects of this invention are to'provide a keeper which is opposed to the wheel andV permits swaying of the car but restrains the wheel against movement off the track.

These objects together with otherobjects and corresponding accomplishments are obtained by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate one formof the invention; Figs. 4 and 5 show another form of the invention; and Figs. 6 and 7 show still anotherform. Fig. 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 is an end elevation; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section as seen on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation; Fig. 5 is an Vend elevation; Fig. 6 is a side elevation; and Fig. 7 an end elevation. Y Y Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a beam or tower, not shown.,`supports a track 10 enabling a monorail car truck vto A be suspended thereon. On the upper side of this rail beam is a ball rail 11 of suitable design for the traction wheels of the truck to ride thereon. A truck frame 12 has hangers 13 to support the carrier and upon which a keeper is mounted. `Journalled in bearings 14 on the under side of the truck frame 12 are the axles of traction wheels 15., There are two traction wheels shown, each of which serves as a drive wheel, the axles of wheels 15 having sprocket wheels 16 meshed with chains 17 which are driven by motors 18 having pinions 19 geared to chains 17. Supported on trunnions 20 in hangers 13 is a load container or carrier 21 hung in such a manner that the load may be dumped by tilting the container. Underhanging the beam is a keeper22. 'Thiskeeper may be an element separate from the hangers so as to be adj ust-f able as' to height. `Referring more Ipartie#v ularly to' Fig. 3, it will be noted that the'de'pth` of fthe. flanges 15a T'of wheels 15" is'slightly 55 greater'fthan'the distance from the bottom of track Vbeaml 8 tothe keeper 22'.f vThe top` surface or face of keeperf22is transversely curved, the radius 'of the curve being the dis1lv tance from the face of keeper 22 tol the lower"V 60" faceof wheel`15 so that ,when thecar isin a positionJ otherthan Uperpendicular, the relf ative distance between the `trackbeam and keeper` isthe same* Y Onv hf'fkeeper and*upsta'ndingA therefrom 5 are rounded projections'23fwhose purpose is to place a limit upon. the sideswing or sway of the car and to preventcatching 1 on" beam joints.` Itis obvioust'he rollers may be4 used instead of the roundedgprojections. These d" projections vare shown integralV with the keeper. However, they may be in the form of a shoe supported by a spring in such manner as to absorb part of the ,shock of contact between the vshoe and the beam. l Referring more particularly to Figs. 4 and Y Y 5, a truck frame 24 is shown havingtraction wheels 25 driven from a single motora-26 mounted on the truck. Hangers 27 have ay keeper 28 mounted thereon, which keeperis Soi substantially of the same character as that before described. A carrier for Vloads yis marked 29 and is supported on the hangers by'trunnions 30. The carrier 29 may be swung and a pinion is shown which may be y geared to any suitable mechanism for turnfl ing the pinion, such mechanism not being shown; Track beamy 31V has a ball rail32. The operation is obvious.. y

In Figs. 6 and 7 a rigid structure is shown 90 comprising two trucks 3,3V each having hangers 34 secured to a Vcarrier 35 so that a unit is formed. As shown, each truckihas mounted thereon a Vmotor 36 for driving traction wheels 37 arranged in tandem.;975 Keepers 38 cooperate withwheels 37V to pre'- venty derailment from rail 39 mounted on` beam 40;- Y f Y Y l It will be apparent, that although tractor cars are shown, the invention is adapted'for 100 trailers having no motor drive. The inven tion resides particularly in the traction Wheels, rail, rail support and keeper as claimed hereinafter. The matter of the posi- 5 tion of the motor or motors in the tractor type z shown is determined to properly position Weight. Y

What I claim is Y l. l. In combination with an overhung track l@ having a rail, a suspended monorailload carrier, a trucksuspending said car;V said truck including a truck frame having arset n i of traction Wheels riding on said rail and Y Y a keeper kunderhangingl said track, said .Y

Wheels and keeper being spaced to 'permit swaying of the car but prevent derailment, saidkeeper having upstanding rounded lon-v gitudinal side projections to limit the .degree of sway.` v g 2, In combination With an overhung track having a ball rail, a suspended monorail load carrier, a truck suspending said load carrier; said truck including a truck Vframe having a set of traction Wheels riding on said rail and a keeper underhanging said track, said Wheels and keeper being spaced to permit swaying of the car but prevent derailment, said keeper having a curved face to maintain constant the clearance betweenkeeper and Y track and havingfupstanding rounded longitudinal side projectionsto limit the degree of sway. r

In Witness 'that I claim kthe foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my` name this 25th day of October, 1930, Y j

- PRESLEY STUART COMES, JR. Y 

